What is a solutions architect? Know the roles and responsibilities

So, if enterprise architects use strategic thinking and decide what needs to be done, then technical architects are tacticians who decide how things should be done. Solutions architects need a combination of hard and soft skills to succeed in the role. These include a strong knowledge of business processes, IT systems, and solutions, while also being able to communicate complex software processes. Solutions architects also need strong leadership skills and several years of hands-on experience in a related field. The enterprise architecture tool is designed to help solutions architects manage the transformation and risk of an organization’s IT landscape. This tool leverages technology to make decisions quickly, map designs, and manage possible outcomes and risks of the chosen solution.

solution architect role

These tasks are usually done by a solution architect who translates technical project details into a language that management and non-technical stakeholders can understand. Solution architecture describes how different components of business, information, and technology architectures are used in a particular solution. As solution architecture is more focused on details and solution technologies to address a specific business problem, it provides a channel between enterprise architecture and technical architecture. An effective approach for companies is combining enterprise architecture activities with solution and technical architecture activities. Technical solutions architects need to be able to evaluate the expectations of people related to the organization accurately.

Tools

In summary, a solutions architect creates, designs, implements, and manages technology solutions to perfectly fit the corporate environment’s needs. They have to work closely with both the development team and the management team in an organization. They have to take into consideration all factors like scalability, budget, and timeframe when designing a product.

This specific exam will be suitable for specialists working with Microsoft Azure and possessing advanced knowledge of Azure infrastructure. In many cases, the business will not recognize the full extent of the challenge. It is the SA’s responsibility to set engagement objectives and scope, develop work plans and coordinate activities across multiple project workstreams. Use this Solution Architect job description to advertise your vacancies and find qualified candidates. Artur Meyster is the CTO of Career Karma (YC W19), an online marketplace that matches career switchers with coding bootcamps.

Requirements and skills

If you are curious to find out if solutions architecture jobs will suit you, feel free to take online tests that are available on many existing websites. GitLab’s Director, Alliances & Channels Solution Architects provides strategic vision and builds and develops an exceptional team of partner-focused Solution Architects. This person leads the team responsible for providing technical consultancy for channel and alliance partners of all types. Solution Architects are individuals who, without a shadow of a doubt, are up to the task of dealing with complex environments while delivering value. Their relevance is increasing in a world where solutions are the conjunction of technology, resources, skills, and business goals. Having a large-scale project may demand hiring a Solution architect as he will help with the management of software architects and the teams involved to emerge with a best-quality outcome.

solution architect role

Addressing solution architecture problems is delegated and shared across other roles within a product team. You might be working on a complex project that needs someone to manage the technical, design, and architecture teams. They will play a role in talking to the stakeholders as well, converting technical information into layman’s. Being a project leader cannot be easy, but solution architects are masters at this. They are responsible for creating a comprehensive architecture for your specific software solution and providing strategic advice and direction throughout the development process.

Solution Architect roles

Solutions architects understand and produce solutions that can meet the needs of both the tech and business sides of things. Their extensive experience gives them more solution architect role knowledge to provide creative software and applications. They can translate the business requirements into terms that programmers can understand and vice versa.

solution architect role

An IT solution architect is a professional in charge of developing a comprehensive architecture for a future software solution. They also have to provide a clear strategy throughout the whole software development process. A solutions architect is responsible for creating https://www.globalcloudteam.com/ a comprehensive architecture for a software solution and providing strategic direction throughout the development process. Most will already have several years (5-10) of hands-on experience in software development, network administration, or information technology.

Solution architecture and its main processes

Prior to considering solution architecture, we recommend exploring enterprise architecture frameworks that combine both solution and enterprise levels. Certifications are intended to validate the skills and expertise of solution architects. So, having one or more credentials proves the expert’s proficiency in specific skills. While a solution architect doesn’t directly get involved in project management, accounting for deadlines and given resources is inevitable.

  • At the same time, solution architecture is responsible for the technological support of such execution.
  • There is no set career path to becoming a solutions architect, however many candidates enter the position from a background in software development.
  • Technical solutions architects need to be able to evaluate the expectations of people related to the organization accurately.
  • Also, by collaborating with the project management team, solution architects cover the risks of product misalignment with stakeholder requirements and ensure that the solution fits the defined purpose.
  • It’s a well-recognized set of qualifications that consists of 5 different levels to fit different experiences and seniority levels.
  • At IntelliSoft, we know that solution architects are the secret ingredient to any business’s success.

S/he carries an understanding of how the different elements of the business model works in unison and how to design a solution that would best meet this mix of operating system, processes, and architecture. At IntelliSoft, we know that solution architects are the secret ingredient to any business’s success. Thanks to more than ten years of experience in the industry, we have gathered a skillful team of architects who can take on even the most complex projects. Our architects are masters of their craft, working with international clients from the logistics, healthcare, EdTech, MarTech, legal, IoT, and other industries. Every solution architect’s roles and responsibilities are different, depending on the type of project they’re working on. Solutions Architects are the trusted advisors to GitLab prospects and clients, showing how the GitLab solutions address client business requirements.

Risk Identification and Management

A technical architect takes care of the layout of IT systems and makes sure that the information architecture is implemented appropriately. An infrastructure architect is responsible for the technical requirements for infrastructure delivery and maintenance, and deployment of technical projects. Demand for information technology (IT) solutions will continue to increase as organizations seek to improve productivity and efficiency. Solution architects will be needed to design these systems, which will require a deeper understanding of the business needs of their clients. Someone will be needed for projects where there are a lot of uncertainties and multiple risks, and different products have to be implemented.

The solutions architect has to be able to manage software development practices and dedicated teams in a collaborative and agile manner. This involves SCRUM, DevOps, and operational skills and a knowledge of how to use Agile methods to push efficiency. A Solution Architect is a professional who designs and manages the implementation of a specific solution or set of solutions within an organization. These solutions typically involve software or technology systems and are designed to solve specific problems or to improve specific processes within the company. In some organizations, a solutions architect might be asked to take on the roles traditionally assumed by enterprise and technical architects.

Director, Channel & Alliances Solutions Architects

The interconnection of modules and solution elements is presented on the detailed product scheme. The concept of a solution architecture is rather complex and includes many aspects required to create a custom software solution with a specific purpose. That’s why there are several subtypes of architecture that handle various functional and non-functional requirements and aspects. For example, they include business, information, security, system, technology, and so on. This definition may seem vague and generic, but only because customers’ problems are different, so they demand different solutions, usually with a unique approach. A solution architect will help to fill the communication gap between technical and non-technical specialists.